Pompeii ; Brothel City

by Veronica

Pompeii lay undiscovered for hundreds of years but excellent work by archaeologists has uncovered a massive, well preserved city. I spent a day wandering around this city-brothel.

Pompeii was a bustling, vibrant ancient Roman brothel city, built near the volcano Vesuvius. It was destroyed and buried under ash and lava when Vesuvius was subjected to a pyroclastic flow eruption in AD 79. It is believed that the eruption was so intense that the side of the mountain blew off engulfing all the surrounding area within minutes, giving people in its path no chance of escape. .

The ruins are remarkably well preserved and there are many artefacts at the Naples museum now. The bodies are casts of people filled in with plaster but they have been placed where the people fell, dying in agony.

It was a very moving visit and a must if you ever go to Italy. The picture above shows Vesuvius in the background.

All the things you see in these photos was covered for nearly two thousand years in ash and debris.

Vesuvius with snow

On the day we visited, it was remarkable because Vesuvius had snow on the top and people had come from all over Italy to see Vesuvius smoking but with snow on it,. It was strange. The narrow streets of Pompeii are so well  preserved ( see below )

Vesuvius  and narrow streets
Vesuvius and narrow streets
Veronica's photo
Beautiful wall paintings
Beautiful wall paintings
Veronica's photo

Wall paintings

It is amazing how these wall paintings have stayed on the  walls of the buildngs thousands of years under the ash and soil and now exposed. The wall paintings give a good indication of life at the time.

Beautiful walls
Beautiful walls
Veronica's photo
Beautiful ceilings
Beautiful ceilings
Veronica's photo

Mosiac floors

This is just one of the beautifully preserved Roman mosaic floors you will see at Pompeii.

Beautiful mosaic floors
Beautiful mosaic floors
Veronica's photo
An amphithetre
An amphithetre
Veronica's photo

There were two amphitheatres and see how they are so good, people just sit and soak up the atmosphere of being there. Statues which were part of doors and entrances are still there.

Statues
Statues
Veronica's photo
Amphitheatre steps
Amphitheatre steps
Veronica's photo

Bodies

Some of the dead bodies are preserved in display clases and some are situated where they fell. Two images have been removed.

The Gladiators' house
The Gladiators' house
Veronica's photo

The gladiators' house

Part of this gladiator house dropped down since my visit , Sadly.

Columns

Well preserved Roman columns are everywhere. I love seeing them, so beautifully made.

Columns
Columns
Veronica's photos

Inner courtyards

The more wealthy homes had an inner courtyard garden.

Inner courtyard gardens
Inner courtyard gardens
Veronica's photo
inner courtyard gardens
inner courtyard gardens
Veronica's photo
wine pots
wine pots
Veronica's Photo
Erotic art
Erotic art
Veronica's photo
wine pots
wine pots
veronica's photo

Most of the brothels had bars nearby or inside . Wine jars are still in evidence. There is still erotic art around. Here is just only one example as this is a family site.

Bodies where they lay

There are images of the dead which show their unimaginable suffering. There are also several well preserved artefacts .

Artefacts
Artefacts
Veronica's photo

Villa of the mysteries

This was a large house on the outskirts of Pompeii and probably the home of someone very high ranking . It is absolutely beautiful.

Villa mosaic floor
Villa mosaic floor
Veronica's photo
Villa of the mysteries
Villa of the mysteries
Veronica's photo
inside the villa
inside the villa
Veronica's photo
walls
walls
Veronica's photo
walls
walls
Veronica's photo

All this is the wonderful work of underpaid archaeologists, brought to the future for our benefit; I salute them wholeheartedly.

Updated: 08/22/2017, Veronica
 
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Veronica on 08/22/2017

Derdriu
Somebody on here objected to them as being disrespectful and insensitive to the dead people to show the mud casts that surrounded their bodies.

I have no wish to offend anyone. I removed the photos . I personally think they are a tribute to those poor people's pain, fear and suffering - but not everyone agreed.

DerdriuMarriner on 08/22/2017

Veronica, Why were the two images that you reference under your section on bodies removed?

frankbeswick on 11/13/2015

I am the same, so I prefer to avoid sun, but I was bound by school holidays then.

Veronica on 11/13/2015

I only go to Southern Italy in Autumn. I have very fair Irish skin and can't take the sun.

frankbeswick on 11/13/2015

In August time the Mediterranean sun was beating on our heads. While I loved the visit, I needed water.

Veronica on 11/13/2015

The walls of house of the mysteries above ! How could I think of a cup of tea when looking at those?

Veronica on 11/13/2015

I was just so enthralled and enchanted by the whole place that I did not notice until I felt weak and headachey. We just took hundreds of photos. It is an incredible place . I eventually found a cup of tea place. Even badly made non English tea was welcome by that point. It was end of October too so not hot.

frankbeswick on 11/13/2015

How did you manage not to drink?I went to Pompeii in high summer and by lunch time I was flagging and only revived with a good dose of Aqua della Madonna from a local mineral spring. I then ascended Vesuvius, fortified by more Aqua della Madonna.

Veronica on 11/12/2015

TY so much. It needs two days to do it justice really. I was there all day without realising I hadn't eaten or drunk anything. There is a very spiritual atmosphere about the place. And Vesuvius still dominates high above it.

Nearby Herculaneum was also covered and is supposed to be even better than Pompeii.

jptanabe on 11/12/2015

I had no idea so much of Pompeii had been recovered - there is really beauty as well as eroticism, and then there is the shock of finding bodies. I do agree with Frank that archaeology should evoke emotion, not just be dry and academic. The destruction of a whole city is surely emotional, and indeed evokes a variety of emotions. Thank you for sharing


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